Airports in the northeast were hardest hit by the computer problem reported by the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday afternoon, which occurred at a Hampton, Ga., facility that processes flight plans for the eastern half of the country.

The agency did say that the software issue, which resulted in a communication problem between the Georgia facility and another facility in Salt Lake City, did not cause any safety problems; officials were still able to speak to pilots in the air and on the ground.

The computer glitch is only one of many inconveniences fliers have had to tolerate as the airline industry struggles with a poor economy and soaring fuel prices. Major airlines have introduced fees for extra checked baggage, refreshments and even pillows and blankets in an attempt to bring in some extra money.

The question is, will passengers continue to put up with the hassle?

This summer, amid rising fees, massive staff cuts and plans to do away with passenger comforts, such as US Airways’ decision to remove in-flight entertainment systems from planes, some analysts began to question how far airlines could go before losing business. While some experts argued that airlines had little choice but to cut nonessential services, others were more optimistic, including Virgin Airlines CEO Richard Branson.